There it was.
Gracing your mailbox.
The hair care issue of your favorite fashion and beauty magazine had arrived at last.
The glossy cover, as it always did, featured some well-known actress or personality with perfectly gorgeous hair.
You know, the type who always seems to regularly make the cover of such magazines.
All around her smiling self were various little teaser headlines that promised all sorts of hair care tips, ideas and advice awaits inside.
Given that, you do what any red blooded American woman does. You drop every and start to flip through the pages eager for insights on how get glamorous looking hair like those in Hollywood seem to wake up with.
So let’s just see what the teasers on magazine covers can teach you about hair care.
The first one you turn to, on page 27 was “How to Stop Hair Drama“.
Turns out this was a rather brief little snippet. Too brief. Not enough drama stopped. Next.
A few pages further back, after an ad or two for hair care products featuring models with dazzling hair, was an article with amazing photos that promised to help you to “Beat Frizz, Every Time“.
This one grabs your attention since you know how you dread those high humidity days when your hair could be confused with that of a shih tzu having a bad hair day.
Hmmm, it mentioned something about using hand lotion when nothing else was available reminded you of a tip you used once before when you were desperate to tame the frizz.
Good to know you were on the right track.
You make a mental note and keep flipping. You stop at one titled “The Art of Conditioning“. Oh yeah. You are getting in a bit of a hurry with your morning routine. And this one reminds you conditioner does need time to work. For sure more than the 10 seconds or so you are giving yours before flushing it down the shower drain. That and regular deep conditioning, as you stroke your hair trying to gauge how dry it is, can help keep your tresses lush and soft. Note to self. Condition more. Starting tomorrow.
The next headline that catches your eye is for those charitably categorized as “over 30”. Pretty broadly defined group, no? Makes it sound like a support group for the hair have-nots. Anyway, this tempter, entitled “Tress Tricks for Those Over 30“, covers things like the inherent advantages of bangs. They hide those ever encroaching forehead wrinkles, you know. The piece offered ideas for boosting the shine you’ve got going on – or not. Plus it cheerfully reminded you that a pulled back pony tail, which for many is the go to style during the more casual weekends, also tends to put every pore, blemish and all the crow’s feet taking root on your face into the harsh glare of full public view. Hmmmm. Maybe it’s time for you to rethink that styling move that you’ve adopted as your go to style most every Saturday.
“11 Dos and Don’ts of Shampooing” is the next feature article to grab your attention. Interesting. This stylist to the stars says washing your hair every day isn’t all that bad. Thought it was. And maybe you are using a bit too much shampoo. Didn’t know you could. But it’s the topic of clarifying shampoo where you settle in for a careful read. Poring over every word of advice offered and drinking it in like curly hair might drink in deep conditioner. After a not so quick scan you decide you are likely guilty of not clarifying enough. Especially given your love affair with styling products like volumizing mousse which you only use to excess. You make another mental note to self. That’s something you’ll need to fix you next visit to the hair care aisle.
Flipping the pages some more lands you on another list of hair care tips found on page 83. This time it’s “How to Generate Electric Shine“. Shiny’s good. Although the bit about cold water rinse, which seems to show up a lot, is something you bet the person suggesting it never does. Really? If you’ve ever tried it in the shower you know it freezes you to the bone. No thanks. I like to feel warm and cozy after my shower. What are we members of the Polar Bear club? Those loonies jump in to ice water. In winter. Besides their hair didn’t look all that shiny. Mine will have to make do with a cold blast from my blow dryer.
“Easy Updos” was also merited a quick read. There you found out how fast simple, and strikingly elegant wearing your hair up can be. And that elegant updos for short hair are also possible. Or that it’s even possible to finesse with fine hair. Huh! Something you really hadn’t considered before. Certainly some ideas for cute updos to keep in mind the next time you have short hair.
Then there’s the short bit about hair extensions near the back that points out you want to buy natural hair (no news there) and that clip in extensions might last you up to two years with proper care. Yet another thing to remember the next time you chop your hair off into a short bob again. Because the photos show how dramatic the difference in thickness or length is with or sans the fake hair.
And so it goes. The hair edition of these magazines is popular and with good reason. We all want to know how to have sexier, healthier locks and how to make that happen easily please. Which should be obvious given the abuse we heap on our manes on a daily basis all in the name of beauty. One way or the other these articles all promise cleaner, shinier, bouncier, oh yeah, healthier, and more manageable hair. If it was only as easy as reading a magazine we’d be downright giddy. Because we’d all have hair like the wonder woman on the cover. Darn how I hate her.
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